The River
by maevargas
Summary: They were at war long before they were born; two clans, one throne. One night Sakura is kidnapped by two enemies only to escape and find out the identity of one of her captors: Syaoran, the precious childhood friend who made her a promise to protect her at the river before disappearing. As a long cruel history slowly unveils itself, will he be able to keep his promise?
1. Encounter

The River

 _"Wahh! My ribbon!"_

 _A little Sakura ran as the strong evening wind blew her hairpiece away. It danced and toyed with the child until it eventually landed in the river. Sakura covered her mouth as tears began to form._

 _"My ribbon! My special ribbon!"_

 _Suddenly, she heard a splash from across the river. She saw a dark figure pop up from under the water. It was a boy. She watched as he swam his way over to her side effortlessly, reaching the bank._

 _The boy ran his fingers through his long brown hair, wiped his face clean, and blinked a couple of times._

 _Sakura stared, dazed. She had never seen him before. He started walking towards her. She suddenly felt scared, but she couldn't move._

 _"Here," he said, handing her a soaked piece of cloth, her ribbon._

 _Her tears fell, relieved. "Thank you!" she cried. "Mama gave this to me, it's my precious ribbon!"_

 _The boy looked at her and frowned. "If it's so precious, why did you lose it?"_

 _"It's not my fault." Sakura rubbed the tears from her eyes. "I can't swim..."_

 _The boy proceeded to ring his clothes dry. "How are you supposed to protect it if you cry so easily? Stop crying, crybaby."_

 _"I'm not crying."_

 _The boy looked at her, with her red nose and her green eyes. "What's your name?" he asked._

 _"Sakura." She sniffled. "What's your name?"_

 _"Syaoran," he replied. "What are you doing here?"_

 _"I'm always here. What are you doing here?"_

 _"I'm running away." He pointed a bag that was left across the river. "Do you wanna come?"_

 _Sakura shook her head. "No way. Mama would worry. Don't you think your mama is worried?"_

 _"I don't have one."_

 _"What do you mean you don't have one, everyone has a mama." Sakura sniffled again._

 _Syaoran shrugged. "Then everyone isn't me." He looked around. "Are you here alone? You're kind of stupid to be alone."_

 _Sakura took a step forward. "I'm 8 years old now, mama trusts me!"_

 _Syaoran scoffed. "I mean you're kind of stupid to be left alone."_

 _Sakura gasped. She picked up some dirt and threw it in his face._

 _"HEY! Is that some way to thank your savior?"_

 _"I hate you!"_

 _"Hmph!" Syaoran turned around and headed back to the river. He paused before getting in. "You know," he said to her. "If that ribbon were truly precious to you, you would protect it with all your strength, regardless if you can swim or not."_

 _Sakura folded her arms. "What would you know? You're running away. You have nothing precious to protect."_

 _Syaoran jumped into the water. He paused again as her reached the middle and turned around to face Sakura. "You know," he yelled. "You shouldn't cry so easily. Crying is a sign of weakness. You're a big crybaby." Syaoran continued swimming before he could hear her reply._

 _"Syaoran," Sakura said under her breath. "I hope you get eaten by a wolf."_

* * *

Present Day Tomoeda

"Come at me like you want to kill me!" Touya shouted.

"HAAA!" Sakura lunged at him with her sword. The two parried, back and forth, circling each other with agile footsteps.

"You've no intent to kill, Sakura, you're still no match for me."

"You're my brother," Sakura huffed, trying to catch her breath in between blows.

"And that is why you're weak." Touya blocked her sword then kicked her down. She screamed.

"She's only 16, Touya, why are you being so hard on her?" Yukito shouted from the sidelines.

"If I die in battle, she will be the one to lead the kingdom. If she isn't strong, then our lineage will cease to be the royal rulers." Touya explained without taking his stare off of his defeated sister. "Do you want to be the reason our kin live in shame?"

Sakura glared at her older brother. He was only 4 years older than her but he had the wisdom and strength of an experienced soldier.

"We are at war, Sakura. I don't need to explain this to you."

"I'm not like you." Sakura got up and brushed off her pants. "I'm not heartless."

"That's why you're weak."

"Let it go for today, Touya!" Yukito called again, running towards them. "She's had enough."

Touya sheathed his sword, gave her a once over, and then turned away. Yukito gave a small smile to Sakura before brushing the dirt off her face. "He's doing it to protect you."

"I'm not a fighter, Yukito, I'm not my brother."

"I know. And I'm sorry. The war has made him the way he is. Please try to understand."

* * *

 _Sakura recognized the boy across the river. She waved to him. "Hey! Syaoran! What are you doing here?"_

 _Syaoran waved back, holding up his bag. "I'm running away. I told you, remember?"_

 _"So what are you doing back here?"_

 _"They found me last time! I'm running away again!"_

 _"You're stupid, they're only going to find you and bring you back! Why are you running away?"_

 _"I'll tell you if I get caught again, but hopefully this is the last time I ever see you!"_

 _Sakura stuck out her tongue. "You're stupid!"_

* * *

Li Estate, Outskirts of Tomoeda

The sun was setting. Eriol ran to the cliff overlooking the river where the trees grew. He scanned the treetops until he found what he was looking for.

"Syaoran."

The man in sitting on the tree branch looked down. "Is it time already?" Syaoran ran his fingers through his messy brown hair. He lifted himself up with his palms and gracefully jumped down. He looked at his friend with his worried expression.

"You're here every night. You never tell me what you're waiting for."

"Who said I was waiting for something?" Syaoran jokingly punched Eriol in the shoulder.

"Laolang has become increasingly suspicious, he sent me to spy on you. "

"What do you tell him?"

"I tell him that you're stupid,"

The two childhood friends smiled. Without a word, they headed back to the main house.

Upon reaching the house, Syaoran let out a loud and long sigh. "I don't want to go."

"We can't disobey."

The main house mansion was situated on a steep hill, with only one entrance to the south. The trees swayed eerily with the night wind. "Do you ever think the things we're doing are wrong? Do you ever think that this feud is our fault?"

"That's not for us to decide, Syaoran. Don't say these things to your brother."

The pair entered the dimly lit hallway, nodding to the guards before opening the west wing doors. They walked down the long dark hallway, lit only by moonlight. A tall slim figure waited at the end, greeting them with a bow.

"You're late," Meiling said. "Your brother isn't very happy."

Syaoran shrugged indifferently as he opened the doors to the meeting hall. The elders and heads of the families were all gathered around a long wooden table. At its end stood Laolang Li, head of the Li Estate and Syaoran's older and only brother.

Everyone looked at him and returned to what they were discussing, as if Syaoran's tardiness wasn't anything new.

"My sources tell me there's to be a celebration, Tomoeda castle is planning something. It'll be easy to slip in the next coming weeks."

"But what is happening exactly?"

"We need more information. A date."

"Can we trust this source? It might be a trap planted by Kinomoto to capture us once and for all."

The men all looked to Laolang for answers. "We will gather more intel." Laolang's cold brown eyes fell upon his younger brother who was staring out the window to the left. "Syaoran." Syaoran snapped out of his daze to meet eyes with his brother. "You and Eriol will go to Tomoeda tomorrow and gather more information. You know what's expected of you."

Eriol looked at Syaoran who was still staring at his brother. Eriol knew of the tension between the two brothers with their differing views. Afterall, they were raised amidst the war with the Kinomoto's, the rulers of Tomoeda.

He didn't know when it started, or what had happened, but he knew that the Kinomoto's were always hostile towards them. Eriol was not a Li, but his family, the Hiiragazawa's, sided with the Li's.

From the time they were born, Syaoran had always been there. They trained together, fought together, ate together, stayed up together. Syaoran became a brother he never had.

Then this one summer, Eriol had to leave with his Father on a trip to his ancestor's grave. They were both 10. It was a tradition to train for a month at his ancestor's monastery before becoming a man.

When Eriol returned, Syaoran had changed. He was cold, he was quiet, and he was indifferent to everything around him. He thought maybe it was Laolang who caused this change in him. At 18 years, Syaoran till hadn't changed from his heartless self. Although Eriol worried, he'd see a smile from time to time, reminding him of the old Syaoran.

He knew Syaoran's feelings about this war. He, too, shared the same feelings. He hated it. What was all this bloodshed for? Every night, living in fear that someone close to him will die the next day. Syaoran didn't want to be involved. But he was linked to an escapable fate as the second son of the prestigious and proud Li family. If Laolang fell, Syaoran would need to take up that seat.

This mission was just another thing he and Syaoran didn't want to do, which was probably why Laolang chose them.

"Don't fail me." Laolang warned.

* * *

 _"Mama! Mama! Come here quickly!"_

 _Nadeshiko looked up from the dishes and walked towards the front garden where her 8-year-old daughter was calling._

 _"Mama! Mama! Syaoran's hurt! Quickly, please help him!"_

 _Nadeshiko looked out the door to see Sakura helping a boy walk to their house. He was drenched with water. She could see a large gash on his leg, made by a rock or maybe some animal. "Bring him inside!" Nadeshiko shouted as she ran to get the emergency supplies._

 _Sakura put Syaoran down on the porch. He winced with pain but said nothing. Nadeshiko came back and knealed beside the boy. She ripped the fabric of his pant leg apart to reveal a huge slice down from his thigh to his knee. "What happened?"_

 _"It was a wolf, mama! I was picking flowers and I saw Syaoran jump into the river. Two wolves were chasing him and he swam over to our side of the river. He's hurt mama!" There were tears on Sakura's face, and streams down the sides of her cheek._

 _She turned her attention again towards the boy. "Syaoran, was it? This is going to hurt."_

 _"It'll be fine." Syaoran managed to say before holding his breath. Nadeshiko applied the disinfectant and much to her surprise, the boy kept in his cries of pain. She quickly cleaned the wound and started to stitch it up._

 _"Where do you live, Syaoran?"_

 _"Just over the hill, behind the forest."_

 _A sudden realization came to her. Nadeshiko knew who he was._

 _"Oh stop crying, crybaby." Syaoran said to a whimpering Sakura._

 _"I was so scared! You could have died!"_

 _Nadeshiko couldn't help but let out a chuckle. So their fates were intertwined in more ways than one now. What a coincidence that even now, remnants of her past still lingered. "We will need to get you home."_

 _"NO!" Syaoran shouted as he sat up. "I absolutely cannot go home! I'm running away!"_

 _"Why are you doing such a silly thing?"_

 _"I need to find Eriol!"_

 _Nadeshiko sighed. She looked at her daughter and then once again turned her attention to Syaoran. "Well then at least stay for dinner. You need time to heal that leg of yours, then you can be on your way."_

 _Syaoran didn't look pleased, but he agreed anyway. He couldn't walk at all without help. Nadeshiko and Sakura helped him inside._

 _A little bit after nightfall, Nadeshiko put Sakura to sleep. She lightly closed the door and walked into the kitchen. The front door was open. Nadeshiko went to close it and found Syaoran sitting on the porch floor. He had somehow managed to pull himself there. He sat, staring at the sky._

 _"What are you thinking?"_

 _Syaoran scratched his head. "If I were stronger, I could have outsmarted those wolves and I wouldn't be here right now."_

 _Nadeshiko took a seat beside him. "But if that happened, I would have never met you."_

 _Syaoran blushed. To be honest, Syaoran had never met such a beautiful lady. She had long wavy gray hair and a kind face._

 _"Sakura talks a lot about you, you know. She tells me every time you meet, but I don't even have to ask her. She comes home with a smile on her face. She calls you her stupid savior." Nadeshiko laughed and Syaoran turned an even brighter red. "Thank you for always protecting her."_

 _"I don't do that much, I just seem to run into her every time I run away. She's always at the river picking flowers, singing, or trying to get the apples off the tree. I just help her sometimes."_

 _"I hope you two become really good friends, and I hope that you stay friends for a lifetime."_

 _Syaoran caught sight of a falling star. He'd seen many back when he was younger, when him and Eriol snuck out of the compound to fight demons or play protectors. But this one seemed especially beautiful._

 _"Do you live here alone? Why do you live so far from Tomoeda? The only people that live out here are the Li clansmen. I don't think I've seen you before. You can't be a Li."_

 _Nadeshiko smiled at his curiosity and his perceptiveness. "I, like you, ran away from home. But they haven't found me yet. I'm really good at hiding."_

 _"What happened? Are some bad people after you?"_

 _"I wouldn't say bad people, just some misguided people. I want to protect Sakura, that's all."_

 _"Ahh, I see. No wonder why she's so carefree." Syaoran looked at Nadeshiko._

 _"You may be too young to understand, but I want to protect that cute little smile on her face. There is so much more to the world than fighting and power. There's beauty in love and trust, in friendship and family, and I want to protect her from all the bad things."_

 _"No, I understand. There are things I want to protect too, like my little brother Eriol. I mean, he's not really my brother but I think of him as one. I want to protect my cousin, Meiling. She was just born 2 years ago, you know. She has the biggest eyes I've ever seen! Well, before I met Sakura…" His voice trailed off and a moment of silence proceeded. "You know what, mama, I'll make you a promise." Syaoran shifted over to where Nadeshiko sat. He took her hand in his and looked her in the eyes. "I promise I will protect Sakura, too. I will protect her smile."_

 _It was the most touching thing Nadeshiko had heard in a long time._

 _"You remind me of my best friend," Yelan Li. "We promised to protect each other."_

 _"And what happened?"_

 _"I couldn't protect her. I didn't have the strength." Nadeshiko turned her face to the sky to stop her tears from falling._

 _"But I promise you, I will protect Sakura. And Eriol. And everyone. I'm Syaoran Li."_

 _Nadeshiko turned to him, only to be caught by surprise. He had a thumbs up and a big box smile on his face._

 _"Then I pray God give you the strength, Syaoran,_ little wolf _."_

* * *

Tomoeda City

Sakura pulled the hood of her cloak over her head as she left the castle gates and into the evening city crowd. She welcomed the brisk air and the smells of the city. The castle air reminded her of a cage. It wasn't very often that she was allowed outside the castle walls. After all, she was the princess.

Sakura thought back to 8 years ago. She didn't grow up at the castle. She had lived on the outskirts of the country. After her mother's death, she was taken to Tomoeda and was brought up by her father.

At the age of 10, two years after moving, Sakura learned that they were at war. Once upon a time, all the clans in the country were at peace. Clow Reed had ruled at that time, alotting each clan their own territory in proportion to their size. But because Clow Reed had no family, no heir was designated. He died suddenly without warning from a plague that had ravaged the country. The Li's, being the country's military force, thought that they should be the rulers. The Kinomoto's thought they deserved the title, as their clan boasted of healers and through the plague lost the least amount of members.

In the end, the Kinomoto's took over the throne and ever since held hostility to the Li clan. The two clans fought and fought until one day, The Li's moved out of the country, just across the river that separated the land. There the Kinomoto's had no jurisdiction. But war still ensued. The Li's thought the throne was rightfully theirs and the Kinomoto's fought desperately to keep the power.

Sakura was never told why she was raised on the outskirts of the country. When she first got to the castle, she cried every night. Her mother was gone. And in her new home, only the cold castle walls ever greeted her. The maids never talked. She was schooled every day from dawn until dusk. Her free time consisted of reading history books, learning foreign languages, and meals alone at a long empty table.

 _Crying is a sign of weakness. You're a crybaby._

Her thoughts filled with the sight of a small round faced, brown haired boy in dark clothes. She bit her lip. Her first friend. _Syaoran._ Where was he now? Did he miss her? How did he feel when one day, he found that she wasn't there waiting for him at the river?

"Excuse me, miss," a stranger suddenly released her from her daze. It was an old women with two children and a cart. Sakura had unknowingly stopped walking and was blocking the road.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she apologized, embarrassed as she stepped out of the way.

* * *

Two streets down, Syaoran and Eriol looked around cautiously, trying to avoid catching attention. They'd gone to 2 bars so far and not one piece of information seemed relevant. It seems the town didn't talk about their affairs so easily with strangers.

"Syao! That's it!" Eriol pointed to the highest building on top of the hill. "That's the castle!"

"You act like you've never seen it before." Syaoran scoffed and continued walking. He scoured the area looking for another bar. Maybe, they could find a villager drunk enough to spill the beans. A woman with two children and a cart passed by. He was amazed at how carefree this city was. Further from Tomoeda City, the war had left its mark. Villages were left in pieces. What once was farm land was reduced to nothing.

"Watch where you're going!" he heard Eriol cry before colliding with something and falling to the ground. He had bumped into a stranger who was now also on the floor.

Sakura's hood fell off as she slowly stood up, rubbing the leg that she'd fallen on. Who on Earth..

And then their eyes met. Immediately, Syaoran knew who she was. He'd met a lot of people these past 18 years and none of them bore those big emerald eyes like she did.

"I'm sorry, I must not have been watching where I was going. Are you okay?"

Syaoran sat there, confused and dazed, trying to figure out if this was his imagination. Eriol came up from behind and helped him to his feet.

"I told you to watch where you're going,"

She had definitely grown taller and more slender. She'd lost all the baby fat in her cheeks from when she was younger. But even dressed in a long concealing cloak, she exuberated in beauty. Her long auburn hair was braided from her side bangs down.

"Sakura..." Syaoran whispered under his breath.

"Hmm? Do I know you?"

-Chapter 1 End-

Hello again! Hope you liked the first chapter. It feels good to be writing again after a 3 year hiatus. I will try my best to update my other stories, but in the meantime, enjoy this one (:

Mae


	2. The Cave

She opened her eyes to an unfamiliar room, dimly lit by wall torches. Furs and skins lined the walls. The ceiling looked like solid rock, maybe she was in a cave? A makeshift table stood in the center. It was cold. Sakura lay in a bed of blankets and pillows that smelled of bamboo. She got up only to fall back down again, realizing her hands were tied behind her back, and her left leg was chained to the wall.

 _Where am I? What happened?_ Panic began to flood in as she realized the events that took place before she woke up.

She was in the marketplace outside the castle when she bumped into a stranger, brown eyes and messy hair. Before she knew it, someone came rushing at her from the side and pushed her into the alley. She fell on something, maybe a box or a crate. The ache on her right side reminded her. She tried to scream but he overpowered her, and that's all she remembered. He had probably knocked her unconscious, or maybe the fall had knocked her out.

How long had she been gone for? Has anyone noticed her disappearance?

She looked hastily around the room but she was alone. Her cloak was on the chair next to the table. She looked down at her dress, relieved to see it was still on. Tears began to well up as she tugged on the rope that bound her. She pulled her foot only to realize the chain was too heavy for her to even move. They had done nothing to her. Nothing _yet_.

 _I have to get out of here._ She tugged and tugged at her rope but still it was of no use. She tried to move her arms under her legs to get them to the front but the chain on her right leg deterred her. She looked around the room for a sharp object, a knife, a sword, anything, but there was no trace of any personal belongings of any sort.

And then she saw a shadow grow larger and larger until a figure appeared at the entrance. She did not recognize him. He wasn't the messy haired boy she had bumped into.

"Oh, you're awake." The man drew closer until Sakura could make out the details of his face. He wore a dark blue cloak that matched his middle-parted hair. He wore round metal-framed glasses and his pale skin gave him an eerie glow in the torch-lit room. He wore a shirt or vest made with high-quality material. She could tell by the elaborate embroidered crest on his left breast. His belt was made of the same quality, the buckle made of silver. His boots cut off right under his knees. Even in the shabby light she could tell he had a strong build and she probably wouldn't be able to resist him if he decided to hurt her.

Sakura pushed herself back, as far as she could, away from the stranger. The stranger stopped walking and laughed. "I'm scaring you," he chuckled. "I'm sorry. I'm not going to hurt you."

Sakura kept her untrusting eyes on him, judging his movement. He walked more slowly to her and bent down, enough to be on eye level with her. He smiled.

"My name is Eriol. I brought you water." He held out a cup. "Drink."

Sakura's eyes went from his smiling face to the cup or liquid, then back. Her throat was parched but she couldn't trust him. She hesitated.

"You've been out for a good day now. You really should drink something." Eriol brought the cup to his lips and took a sip. "You see? It's not poisoned. Please, drink."

He held the cup out again, close enough for her to not have to strain too much. Sakura slowly moved her head forward. Eriol tilted the cup and watched his captive drink. But all too soon did she lie on her back, swing her left leg, and kicked him off his own feet. He fell backwards with a thump, the rest of the water spilling on him and onto the floor.

Eriol cursed as he got back up. Sakura moved back up against the wall, putting as much space between her and her captor.

"I told you. I'm not here to hurt you." Eriol walked over to the cup, picked it up, and placed it on the table. He took a chair, dragged it over, and sat down.

"Where am I?" Sakura asked, trembling.

"You're a day away from home."

"What do you want?"

"Tell me what Touya Kinomoto is planning. Everything."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Eriol," a stern voice came from the entrance.

The two turned their heads to see who had called. It was him, the messy-haired boy she had bumped into, the reason she'd been caught off guard and brought to this place.

"I told you to call me when she woke up."

"She just woke up! She kicked me when I gave her some of my water."

From the sound of it, the newcomer had more control over Eriol, the one who was questioning her. The brunette man walked towards the light, towards them. He wore the same attire as Eriol, except shirt had gold trimming. He wore a jacket instead of a cloak. The crest on his right breast was green and gold. His thick eyebrows matched the firm daunting look on his face. She was afraid. The shadows that the torches cast upon his face didn't make it any better.

Eriol turned his attention back to Sakura. "What is Touya planning? What is this celebration that's happening?"

"I don't know what you're talking about!"

"Okay," Eriol sat on the edge of his chair. Sakura's gaze went from the man with glasses to the one behind him. "What is he doing with his soldiers?"

"I don't know that either.."

"You're the princess! Don't you know anything?!" Eriol yelled in frustration.

"Stop it. She doesn't know."

Syaoran put a stern but gentle hand on Eriol's shoulder. The latter let out a deep sigh, took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. "What are we going to tell your brother?"

"Leave us for a moment." Eriol gave Syaoran a questioning glance, but he got up and obeyed anyway.

* * *

"I told her not to leave the castle walls." Touya cursed under his breath. It'd already been a day since someone last saw Sakura. He hadn't seen her since yesterday afternoon, after her training. Yukito said she'd gone back to her room. Tomoyo said she had eaten dinner with her. A few of the castle servants said they'd seen her in the library.

But she wasn't in her room this morning. She didn't come down for breakfast. Tomoyo had asked about her then voicing her concern that no one had seen her. But Touya didn't realize until Sakura had missed their sparring practice that she had gone missing.

Yukito, the only other person in the room with Touya, rested his hand upon his shoulder. "We'll find her."

"She probably just ran away. She hates castle life. She hates it here." Touya looked into Yukito's eyes. "She hates me."

Yukito gave him a reassuring smile and shook his head. "Sakura doesn't hate you. You're the only family she has. She's probably just confused. She'll be back before you know it."

"What if she didn't run away? What if someone kidnapped her?"

"We're doing everything we can. Every soldier is out there looking for her."

"Then why am I here?! Why am I not looking for her?!" Yukito understood the frustration, the anger, the confusion in Touya's pained expression. Touya was harsh and cold to Sakura, but he loved her, and that was what Yukito knew.

"You can't leave. If she were kidnapped, this could be a trap."

"God damnit!" Touya threw a book off of his desk, with great strength, against the cold stone wall of his room. He stormed over to the open doors of his balcony. It oversaw the whole city. The brisk air of the night cooled him down a little.

In all his life, Yukito only ever saw Touya act like this once: when his father died. Being who he was, Touya would never lose control of his temper, he would never throw fits of anger. He was always calm and collected, the way he was brought up, the way a leader should act.

But when it came to his family, Touya couldn't control himself.

Yukito followed him outside and followed his gaze to the city below. There were no stars tonight. Yukito felt a storm coming.

He turned his attention back to Touya, whose hands were resting on the banister, clenched in fists. Yukito hesitated, and then calmly placed his right hand on top of Touya's left. Without moving, Touya slowly opened his hand, allowing Yukito's to fingers to intertwine with his own. It was as if Yukito had drained all the trouble from his mind with one touch.

"The central guard came back!" someone shouted from the doorway. They didn't even hear the door open. Quickly, Yukito withdrew his hand and walked into the room. It was Tomoyo. She was out of breath. She probably ran all the way from the main entrance.

Yukito bowed before her before he spoke. "Any word from outside the walls?"

She shook her head dejectedly. "The guards don't remember anyone suspicious entering or leaving the area. There were many merchant carts delivering supplies for the celebration. The logs don't indicate her leaving either."

Touya came in from the balcony. Tomoyo bit her lip. She was every bit worried as Touya was. Afterall, Sakura was her sister-in-law.

Touya met Tomoyo's eyes. She had been crying. Touya cursed inwardly to himself. Why didn't he realize it when Tomoyo had came to him before noon, expressing her concern about Sakura when she didn't show up for breakfast? Out of everyone in the castle, Sakura spent the most time with Tomoyo. Another one of his mess-ups, not listening to her.

Tomoyo ran over to Touya and put her tiny hands in his. "This isn't like her, Touya. Something's wrong. She didn't run away. She couldn't have!" Tomoyo started crying again. "Last night, at dinner, she told me she was always letting you down. She was upset that she wasn't the person you wanted her to be. And then she told me she would try harder. She needed to grow up, stop crying, to take responsibility. Why would she run away after telling me that?"

Touya felt a pang of guilt in his heart. A lump rose in his throat and he found it hard to speak. He wanted to console her but he couldn't find strength. After he treated her so coldly yesterday, after their fight, after telling her she was weak, Sakura didn't hate him.

Touya wrapped his arms around his crying queen. "Where was she last seen again?" Touya asked her, as calmly as his emotions would let him.

"The library." Yukito replied, not once looking at the pair.

Touya let go of Tomoyo, bent over, and wiped her cheeks dry. He kissed her forehead before leaving the room.

Tomoyo's sobs reduced until she was able to breathe calmly again. Yukito appeared by her side, handing her a handkerchief. She took it thankfully and wiped her tears off her face. She let out a sigh before looking up to Yukito.

"Thank you," she said, but the pained smile on his face made her look away. "And, I'm sorry."

* * *

Laolang paced back and forth outside. A few hours ago, one of his men came with news about Tomoeda. The princess had gone missing. Panic overtook the city as every Tomoedan guard was sent to look for her.

Syaoran had outdone himself.

He smiled to himself again. It was only a matter of time before Syaoran would return, the Kinomoto princess in hand. And then he would use her as a bargaining hostage. _Hand over the Clow Insignia, the right to the throne, or she dies._

Laolang knew that losing someone precious was the most painful of all pains. Afterall, the Kinomoto's had killed his mother in front of him. He would return the favor.

"Meiling!"

"I'm here." She appeared out of the shadows clad in black; her hair was tied in a neat bun.

"What's taking them so long?"

"I don't know. We haven't received a messenger bird of their whereabouts yet."

Laoland furrowed his eyebrows. _Don't fail me, Syaoran._

* * *

As soon as Eriol had left the room, Syaoran took his jacket off and placed around the back of the chair. He sat down and inched the chair forward, just enough to be able to stretch out his hand and touch her.

Sakura's heart began to race and her breathing quickened. "What do you want from me?" Her voice was barely a whisper.

This stranger didn't say a word. He just kept staring at her with his brown eyes. The expression on his face was unreadable. She hadn't noticed before, but this man was a boyish type of handsome, and his messy chestnut hair added to his appeal. He had the same type of build as Eriol, but she sensed more strength from this stranger. The fear started to fade as the silence grew longer.

"What do you want from me?" she repeated, this time audible.

"Sakura Kinomoto,"

"Who are you?"

"Sakura," He smirked to himself. The stranger reached out his hand. Sakura shut her eyes and prepared herself for a hit. If he were to take advantage of her, she would scream and bite. She gathered as much courage as she could muster. But his fingers grazed the side of her face and tucked a loose strand of her braid behind her ear. Confused, she looked up at him only to find a sincere look in his eyes, a peaceful smile on his face. There was no malice in his expression, no lust, no anger.

Her heart pounded. She'd seen this smile before. She knew him.

"Sakura, you're so beautiful."


End file.
